Packers will release Graham Harrell

Posted by Josh Alper on August 24, 2013, 4:02 PM EDT

AP

Vince Young’s performance against the Seahawks on Friday night was good enough to land him the job backing up Aaron Rodgers this season.

That’s one of the conclusions we can draw from the news that Graham Harrell is on his way out of Green Bay. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Harrell is being released as the Packers make their first round of cuts this summer.

Harrell was 6-of-13 for 49 yards on Friday night, continuing a lackluster preseason that was the impetus to bring Young into the fold in the first place. Young, on the other hand, was 6-of-7 for 41 yards and a touchdown while also running for 39 yards on three carries.

Harrell spent the last three years with the Packers, playing in four games and throwing four passes in 2012. With Aaron Rodgers in town, preseason was the chance for Harrell to make his case for both the backup job and for other teams that might be looking for help at the position. He fell short of accomplishing the first half of that, we’ll now see if anyone else wants to bring him onboard.

By all accounts, Harrell is a good guy and a good teammate. He just didn’t show much growth over three years.

Coleman also has problems but at least he is still a rookie and might grow into something. Harrell just hasn’t and there is only so long you can keep a ‘project’ before you just have to move on. 3 years is longer than many teams would have given him.

Harrell is a good guy, but the Packers have been VERY lucky that Rodgers has remained relatively healthy the last few seasons.

VY at least gives the Packers a chance to win a game if Rodgers went down. Harrell didn’t, thus his release and the probable end to his NFL career.

contra74 says:Aug 24, 2013 4:19 PM

They should release the entire o-line and start new.

larryboodry says:Aug 24, 2013 4:20 PM

Aw, damn.

deltaoracle says:Aug 24, 2013 4:25 PM

Sorry Graham.
At least we didn’t waste a twelfth overall pick on you. A bit surprised they didn’t cut Coleman instead, but I guess they think he deserves another year to try to show something. I hope Young really does have his head on right and hits the playbook hard now. It’ll definitely be… interesting if he has to lead the team, but as others have said at least he offers the possibility of something good happening.

He sucked, after 3 years, you should expect steady improvement and he didn’t deliver.

That said, some franchise’s standards are as high, some will take a weak armed QB at #12 overall and stick with him for years.

I would be surprised if Harrell remains in professional football. Being an ex Packer QB, he might be signed by the Vikings who seem to love all ex Packers whether they could play or not but then he would in effect be out of professional football.

I was curious about this move at first. But makes perfect sense. Harrell had 4 seasons to learn the offense, improve skills, and translate it to the field. He hasn’t done that. Flynn at least was able to have an effective preseason when given the chance. I was always wondering why they had trust and faith in Flynn from the get go. But McCarthy and Thompson see these guys every day. They know when to let go and when to stick with them. Harrell clearly wasn’t progressing after given plenty of a chance. I thought he might be good to have around as a #3, but Coleman has a much bigger upside. And to be honest, VY gives the team a chance to win 1 or 2 games. If Rodgers is out any longer than that, the team is screwed whoever you put in there.

Graham was decent in college, but some college QBs just don’t fit very well in the NFL.

I’m really happy for Vince. He really got it together and matured over the years. He got married, had kids, finished his college degree. I think he definitely deserves a second chance.

mrbigass says:Aug 24, 2013 4:44 PM

If VY can continue playing well in preseason games he can right his financial ship. Always thought he was an igmo but here’s to second chances.

Heck, Carr has made millions polishing the clipboard after an awful career as a starter……

thegonz13 says:Aug 24, 2013 4:45 PM

He was in the CFL and didn’t last long there. If you can’t make it in the CFL, you can’t make it anywhere.

theytukrjobs says:Aug 24, 2013 4:45 PM

Young is a sensible backup. I believe you either want a wiley vet or an athletic dual threat if you are backing up a franchise QB. Having some unproven dolt with potential upside can be nice if you can one day trade him, ala Flynn.

But in their shoes they are better off with some cheap guy who could maybe fill in for a brief period. If Rodgers is out extended time, they are toast either way. But Young could give you a few games before teams figure him out or whatever.

I know this must have been hard for McCarthy to release one of his projects that didn’t work out. It needed to be done though. Good luck to you Harrell. I think VY is going to be a great backup and hopefully he can turn his career around.

I’m sure Harrell is a good guy. Would he have stayed on the roster this long if he WASNT — given his skills, or lack of them ?

I had become completely fed up watching Harrell play, when you have to hope for a penalty to move the ball, and where getting to punt instead of having a turnover rates as a successful possession. As we saw last night, you can’t even RUN with him in the game. Seahawks stacked the box, dared Harrell to beat them with his arm, and of course he couldn’t. Thankfully, McCarthy reached the same conclusion!

I don’t have any illusions that Young will ever approach the upside originally predicted for him. But I do feel if he has to go in the game, the Packers will still have some ability to score, And I no longer had that feeling with Harrell.

TT will keep an eye on the waiver wire. Although he’s the best #2 on the roster, I can’t believe there aren’t better options out there after roster reductions. If Rodgers gets hurt in the first 3 weeks the Packers are really in trouble.

Actually you can fire him if you are one of the Packers owners.
Oh wait. No, no you can’t.
All you can do is help fund seats that you probably won’t ever get to sit in for a game.
Packers ownership is a joke. And this is coming from a Packers fan.
I’m smart. I didn’t spend more than $200 for a worthless piece of paper.

Smart move. It was actually fun watching Vince Young play. He’s extremely mobile, and yet throws the ball pretty well, too. Definitely has more natural talent than Harrell. A coach can only do so much, and glad the coaching staff finally realized that and let Harrell go.

hodag54501 says:Aug 24, 2013 5:23 PM

Matt Flynn was “Mr. August” for his outstanding play during the preseason in Green Bay. Harrell was awful from the first season. There was a reason every team in the league passed on him at least once.
My bet is he’s done with playing football. Young got better every week and you saw the talent. Coleman, the third QB, still has a shot but likely will be on the practice squad again.

A casual fan like me saw Harrell had nothing a long time ago, why can’t the coaches?

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if they let Coleman go before the final cuts, too. Vince Young is more than sufficient at backup. They can risk going with just two QBs to make room for more D-linemen that they fortunately have decent depth at.

purpleguy says:Aug 24, 2013 5:31 PM

Probably a good move — Harrell just didn’t seem to have it. The thing is, why didn’t they do this 6 months ago?

patfaninbflo says:Aug 24, 2013 5:40 PM

YouMadCauseImStylingOnYou says: Aug 24, 2013 4:04 PM

Sadly for Vince Young there isn’t a Cheesecake Factory within 100 miles of Lambeau Field.

As a Seattle fan I am telling you Young didn’t do as well as you might think. Seattle went to its 3rd string DB’s when Young came in, and so I am very surprised PACK coaches didn’t account for that. If you PACK fans think Young played last night against any Seattle DB that will be with the team this week, you are wrong.

Your fine if Rodgers stays healthy, but I was surprised Young didn’t play better against Seattle’s to-be practice squad.

noring4youstill says:Aug 24, 2013 5:43 PM

Cheesecake Factory for everyone

thepvyharvin says:Aug 24, 2013 5:43 PM

You Lombardi Losers sure seem to have a man crush on Vince Dumb. I hope you are ready for he is your qb this season. Rodgy is going down. Why? The pathetic Teddy Thompson can’t understand the foundation of football ….strong O & D lines….thank God for Rick Spielman!!!

@jprcox – Young came into the game for second drive in the second half. That is the drive that Seattle decided to pull their starters. Did you watch the game? If so, then watch it again on NFL Network…the announcers mentioned it. Your coach even SAID that is what you would be doing before the game started

jprcox says:
Aug 24, 2013 5:42 PM
“Your fine if Rodgers stays healthy, but I was surprised Young didn’t play better against Seattle’s to-be practice squad.”
—————————–
I was surprised M.Night wasn’t able to play better against our second string defense…

I’m starting to think that Vince Young is better than that noodle armed Ponder chick.

arnoldziffel says:Aug 24, 2013 7:08 PM

thepvyharvin says:

You Lombardi Losers sure seem to have a man crush on Vince Dumb. I hope you are ready for he is your qb this season. Rodgy is going down. Why? The pathetic Teddy Thompson can’t understand the foundation of football ….strong O & D lines….thank God for Rick Spielman!!!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ahh Pervy!

Best laugh I’ve had all day. And I agree with you on this point – Thank God for Rick Spielman … thanks to him, it’s Ponder at quarterback and Webb at .. quarter .. no, wait! … at wide receiver er… well … maybe quarterback next week – but, well .. maybe not … we’ll see.

Enjoy 4th place in the Norse Division this year you purple nose picker …

Skoal!!!

contra74 says:Aug 24, 2013 7:10 PM

axespray says:
Aug 24, 2013 6:52 PM
When opposing teams load up the box on us – it either means the HB is awesome or the QB flat out sucks…
—
Or in this case, both.

emperorzero says:Aug 24, 2013 7:35 PM

Harrell just hasn’t made plays. Though the Packers are still screwed if Rodgers goes down, Young has shown an ability to make a play or two (along with a boneheaded play or two).

As a Seattle fan I am telling you Young didn’t do as well as you might think. Seattle went to its 3rd string DB’s when Young came in, and so I am very surprised PACK coaches didn’t account for that. If you PACK fans think Young played last night against any Seattle DB that will be with the team this week, you are wrong.

——————————————————-

jprcox,… seriously? Do you even know what to watch for when comparing two players in preseason? I totally agree that Young was playing against 3rd stringers. But exactly what do you mean you’re surprised the PACK coaches didn’t account for that? How do you know they didn’t? Truth is, they don’t care. They’re merely looking what he can do on the field….. mobility, passing ability, decision making, and just learning the system. They’re actually less concerned about scoring as they are about evaluating what he brings to the position.

shlort says:Aug 24, 2013 7:43 PM

The Packers better hope Rodgers stays healthy if Vince is the back up guy there. Pretty sad state when your back up guy couldn’t get a job anywhere in the NFL and you picked him up off the street for free.

I have never been a Vince Young fan. He is among the most over rated players in recent history.

That being said, even as much as Young is terrible, he is probably the 2nd best QB on that roster. The Packers haven’t had a legit back up there in a long time. Even Flynn wasn’t very good, but he managed to get himself paid off for having a good game against Detroit a couple years back. Good for him, but bad for the Packers.

if i were a seapigeon fan, i would be nervous if anything happens to wilson. brady quinn? tavaris jackson? are you kidding? the seapigeons aren’t beating the 49ers with wilson, forget it without him. pete carroll as the head coach would make me nervous too. somehow the seapigeons are the greatest thing since sliced bread. i’m not buying it.

This might be a perfect storm for Vince Young. A good job that pays well, and likely one he could keep for a few years, and in a town with. No temptations, Cheesecake Factories, or scrip clubs where he could go broke.

the vikings will be looking heavily at the waiver wire when all the teams start making cuts. whoever gets cut will be better than most of the guys they have now. how is desmond bishop working out for the vikings? he may be cut. the vikings still have jennings and his 9 mil salary, good move there. then you have the over the hill hillbilly at DE making his big salary, good moves by the vikings.

ralphwilsonisrich says:Aug 24, 2013 8:54 PM

Bills will have an opening. Kolb is glass

vikingfan1971 says:Aug 24, 2013 9:19 PM

for the hundredth time we have more than ap on our team, They would be hurting but our defense was pretty good last year. and I am hoping they step up again this year and oh yeah we have patterson he is good and kyle rudolph the probowl MVP winner.

One of those QBs you think sucks, actually went toe to toe with your prized Rodgers last year, and beat him.

Remember that? Of course you don’t.

It’s the varnish.

firestarter0728 says:Aug 24, 2013 9:46 PM

84smooninlambeaunevergetsold says:
One of those QBs you think sucks, actually went toe to toe with your prized Rodgers last year, and beat him.
———————————
That’s a reflection of the lousy defense the Packers have played the last few years. Which, as a Packers fan, I readily admit to.

Your starting QB sucks. No credit to him for that game. It was all Peterson.

Ridiculous to say he’ll be picked up by the Vikings. No way they are going to throw away all the work they’ve done bringing along Christian Ponder by bringing in a qb that could threaten to take his job.